We are hanging out at home today, trying to lay low until trick-or-treating time because Cooper has been sick this past week and we’re trying not to overdo it.

In the interest of A. using up some bananas that really need to be used up, and B. finding something to do other than clean my house, I decided to bake.

First up:

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I tried to go not super-sweet and as healthy as possible in the hopes that Coops would eat some of it. I think I was pretty successful. Here it is…

3 T. mostly melted butter (I put it in the ‘wave for about 30 sec or so)

2 1/2 c. white whole wheat flour

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

1 egg

3/4 T. vanilla extract

3 medium bananas, fork mashed

1/4 c. milk

3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

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Preheat to 350 degrees. Grease, butter, or spray a regular loaf pan.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In separate bowl, beat together bananas, egg, milk, vanilla and butter. Add wet ingredients to dry, and stir until well combined. Then add mini chocolate chips and stir until mixed in. This batter is very thick, but make sure everything is moistened. If necessary, splash in a little more milk, but mine was fine.

Spoon the batter into your loaf pan and bake until lightly browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Mine took about 35 mins or so. Let rest for a few minutes after removing from oven, and then flip out onto cooling rack to cool completely.

Next, I decided to use one of my big, lovely, organic Honeycrisp apples to try something completely new. I started adding my favorite ingredients and this is what I came up with. I must say, these aren’t the prettiest little mini muffins, but wow are they delish!

Mini Oatmeal Apple Cinnamon Chip Muffins

4 T. melted butter

2 c. white whole-wheat flour

1 c. quick-cooking oats

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c. cinnamon chips (found in the chocolate chip aisle)

3 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1/3 c. milk

1 large honeycrisp (or any kind) apple, coursely grated

1 tsp. vanilla

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Preheat to 350 degrees. Grease, butter or spray a mini muffin tin. (You could use a regular sized one, as well).

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Beat together egg, milk, vanilla, apple and butter. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir to combine. Then stir in cinnamon chips until well mixed. Spoon batter into mini muffin tin, filling each cup up to slightly more than 3/4 full. You should completely fill one mini muffin tin (12 muffins).

Sprinkle top of each muffin with brown sugar.

Bake until toothpick comes out clean. About 20 minutes or so. Remove from tin and cool on rack.